Department for Education

Teachers: Disability

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to monitor employers’ behaviour to ensure that they are meeting their publicsectorequality duties in respect of teachers with a disability.

Baroness Berridge: Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must not discriminate against a pupil or member of staff in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act. As employers, schools are under the same duties to make reasonable adjustments in relation to disability for their employees or potential employees as they are for their pupils. State funded schools are also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty.The department has published guidance on the Equality Act 2010 for schools, which includes advice on how they can meet their duties under the Act. We expect schools to adhere to their statutory requirements as employers and do not monitor this at a school level on a routine basis. The guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf.The Equality and Human Rights Commission provides more detailed advice on workplace adjustment and has powers to enforce equality legislation. Additionally, the Equality Advisory and Support Service, is an independent service aimed at individuals who need information, advice and support on discrimination and human rights issues.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Overseas Aid: Global Challenges Research Fund

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reduction in Official Development Assistance spending, whether they willrestore to its previous level the contribution to the Global Challenges Research Fund for international environmental projects in the next financial year.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The economic impact of the Covid pandemic has forced the UK Government to take tough, but necessary, decisions to move to a target of spending 0.5 per cent of GNI on ODA in 2021, as a temporary measure.Despite the reductions, the UK remains a development superpower, with an ODA budget on track to exceed £10 billion this year. FCDO ODA will be targeted to addressing seven global challenges facing the world's poorest which both includes climate change and biodiversity, and science, research and technology. FCDO will make £251 million of science, research and technology investments across all seven themes of the Foreign Secretary's strategic objectives, including climate change and biodiversity.

Overseas Aid: Environmental Protection

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe impact of the reduction in Official Development Assistance spending for environmental research on the achievement of their commitment to maintaining a place at the leading edge of science and technology.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The economic impact of the Covid pandemic has forced the UK Government to take tough, but necessary decisions to move to a target of spending 0.5 per cent of GNI on ODA in 2021, as a temporary measure. This has included cuts to ODA Science and Technology funding. We have worked with a range of stakeholders including UKRI, universities as well as directly with grant holders and funding partners to mitigate the impact of these cuts, adjust timeframes and results expectations, and continue to maximise the impact for every pound spent.Despite the reductions, the UK remains a development superpower, with an ODA budget on track to exceed £10 billion this year. FCDO ODA will be targeted to addressing seven global challenges facing the world's poorest which both includes climate change and biodiversity, and science, research and technology. FCDO will make £251 million of science, research and technology investments across all seven themes of the Foreign Secretary's strategic objectives, including climate change and biodiversity.

Overseas Aid: Females

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether programmes supporting women and girls will be disproportionately impacted by the aid cuts; and if so, what plans they have to mitigate that impact.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Promoting gender equality and advancing women and girls' rights around the world is a priority for the UK Government. Both the Integrated Review and recent G7 Leaders' Communique confirms this commitment.The seismic impact of the pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce the overall amount we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA). Despite this, the UK remains committed to advancing gender equality, as evidenced by co-hosting the Global Partnership for Education replenishment, a focus on gender at COP26 and co-leadership of a new global Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as part of the Generation Equality Forum. The UK's G7 Presidency has prioritised action which places gender equality and girl's education at the centre of our COVID-19 response and recovery. We remain bound by the UK International Development Act (Gender Equality) 2014 to ensure gender equality remains at the heart of the UK's work on international development and in humanitarian crisis.

Libya: IRA

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatprogress they have made in seeking compensation from the government of Libya for the victims of Libyan-supplied semtex used by the IRA.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the matter of compensation for the victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism was raised during their meeting with the interim Prime Minister of Libya on 24 June; and if so, what response they received.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to press the Libyan authorities to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA, and has raised this issue at the highest levels.

Libya: Freezing of Assets

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the government of Libya has complied with UN Security Council Resolutionspertaining to the freezing of Libyan assets, to justify a release of some or all of those assets.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011) decided that all Member States shall freeze assets owned or controlled by individuals or entities listed by the Libya Sanctions Committee. The aim of the Libya asset freeze is to ensure that the frozen funds are preserved until such a time as they can be made available to, and for the benefit of, the people of Libya. Any amendments to the asset freeze will require consensus at the UN and will be judged against this goal.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent of freedom of (1) religion, and (2) belief, in Pakistan; and what is their strategy for supporting those freedoms in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities around the globe. Pakistan is one of the FCDO's human rights priority countries and protecting FoRB is an integral part of our engagement on human rights in Pakistan. The UK Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs.We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, regardless of their religion or belief. Most recently on 23 and 24 June during a visit to Pakistan, I raised these important issues with Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior government ministers, including Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Shireen Mazari. During these meetings, I highlighted the need to address persecution, promote respect for all religions and increase tolerance for religious minorities, including Ahmadiyya Muslims and Christians. Alongside my engagement with the Government of Pakistan, I met with minority communities to understand better their concerns, including a meeting with representatives of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, an interfaith roundtable and discussions with influential religious leaders.In addition, the UK works within the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance to promote and protect FoRB around the globe. I underlined the UK's commitment to FoRB for all at a number of international meetings in November 2020, speaking at the intergovernmental Ministerial to Advance FoRB and the Ministers' Forum of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his personal commitment to the issue by appointing Fiona Bruce MP as his Special Envoy for FoRB. I set out the UK's commitment to defending FoRB and addressing FoRB violations in my response to a question in this house from Lord Singh of Wimbledon on 8 July.

Overseas Aid: Females

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether agendered assessment took place before the cuts to Official Development Assistance this year; and if so, (1) when this was carried out, and (2) how this was carried out.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: During the 2021/22 ODA allocation process, the FCDO considered risks and impacts to inform advice to Ministers. An overarching Equalities Impact Assessment analysed impacts across bilateral country spend. The assessment was considered by Ministers before decisions were made.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the cuts to Official Development Assistance have fallen equally across the (1) multi-lateral projects, (2) Non-Governmental Organisations, and (3) bilateral projects; and if not, what was the rationale in assigning how the cuts were going to be applied?

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: FCDO Officials are continuing to work through the implementation of the budget changes set out in the Foreign Secretary's WMS, with partners and suppliers. Given we are in a one-year spending settlement, FCDO's 21/22 planned budget allocations will be published in our Annual Report later this year. We will also continue to publish our spend information by project on DevTracker as always (updated monthly).

Overseas Aid: Unemployment

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of jobs being put at risk due to the cuts in Official Development Assistance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have not made an assessment of the number of jobs at risk following the difficult decision to reduce aid spending temporarily to 0.5% of GNI. As the Foreign Secretary has said, our primary focus is on poverty reduction in developing countries and we are working closely with delivery partners to reprioritise the development portfolio to meet the priorities set out to the House on 26 November 2020. Delivery partners will consider how best to restructure their operations in order to deliver the reprioritised portfolio.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Coronavirus

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK-based armed forces personnel are currently infected with COVID-19.

Baroness Goldie: As at 5 July 2021, 433 Armed Forces personnel have had a positive Covid-19 test result recorded in the UK in the last 10 days.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 30 June (HL1403), what is the value of the current contract awarded to Capita Business Services Ltd to carry out Personal Independence Payment assessments in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments in Northern Ireland are administered by the Department for Communities for Capita Business Services, so therefore the Department of Work and Pensions would not hold the information requested. Please contact the Department for Communities Health Transformation Team.

Children: Food Poverty

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they are (1) monitoring, and (2) addressing, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child food poverty.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: We take the issue of food insecurity seriously, which is why we added internationally used food security questions to the Family Resources Survey in 19/20 and these questions remain in the survey for 20/21. This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, including by increasing the living wage, and by spending £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2020/21. This included around £7.4 billion of Covid-related welfare policy measures.Our Covid Local Support Grant is ensuring that families across England get help with food and essential utility bills. We have now extended this temporary scheme for a final time with an additional £160 million in funding between 21 June and 30 September, taking total funding under the scheme to £429 million. This funding recognises that while restrictions are planned to end in July, families might need additional help to get back on their feet as the vaccine rollout continues and our economy recovers.Our ambition is to help people move into and progress in work as quickly as possible based on clear evidence around the importance of employment, particularly where it is full-time, in substantially reducing the risks of poverty. Our ambitious Plan for Jobs is already delivering for people of all ages right across the country and includes new schemes such as the £2 billion Kickstart Scheme, the £2.9 billion Restart Scheme and our Job Entry Targeted Support Scheme.

Children: Poverty

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recentestimate they have made of the levels of child poverty in England.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: National Statistics on the number and percentage of children in low income are published annually in the “Households Below Average Income” publication. In the three years to 2019/20, the absolute child poverty rate, before housing costs, in England was 18 per cent, down 3 percentage points since the three years to 2009/10.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bees: Disease Control

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent thetransmission of disease through (1) imported, or (2) internally traded, bumblebees and bumblebee hives.

Lord Benyon: The Government is committed to preventing pests and diseases reaching our borders. We are promoting biosecurity internationally, at UK borders and inland. Imports of bumblebees are only accepted from approved countries. Consignments must be produced in a controlled environment which is supervised by the competent authority in the exporting country. They must be checked before dispatch. They are accompanied by health certificates that guarantee the bees are free from notifiable pests and diseases. The bees may be subject to checks at destination (for EU bees) or at a border control point (for bumblebees from other countries). There are no restrictions on movements of bumblebees from one area of GB to another.

Insects: Conservation

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether the rate of loss of flying insects due to artificial light at night is increasing or decreasing.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2019 Defra published an evidence review of the status and risks to UK pollinating insects, developed with leading academics supporting our National Pollinator Strategy. This review did not identify artificial light as a driver of insect trends. However, we are aware of recent scientific studies that have identified impacts of artificial light on the behaviour and physiology of some insect species. Generally, these studies highlight the need for further research to understand the significance of these impacts. Defra has published or contributed to a range of assessments of the impact of artificial light on insects and wider biodiversity, as well as global and national assessments of the drivers of biodiversity loss more generally, and will continue to work with our academic partners so that emerging evidence is kept under review. We have measures in place to mitigate the impacts of artificial light, through the planning system, the statutory nuisance regime, and where possible with improvements to street lighting. Additionally, we are investing in pollinator monitoring to better understand populations trends and continue to take the right action to support recovery.

Waste Disposal: Carbon Emissions

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many metric tonnes of carbon emissions were released by shipping containers exporting waste from the UK in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020.

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many shipping containers the Environment Agency inspected in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020.

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many shipping containers were prevented from leaving the UK by the Environment Agency in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020; and what was the reason given for preventing them leaving.

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Environment Agencyensures that waste is legally disposed of once it reaches another country.

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many operators were found by the Environment Agency to be illegally exporting waste in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020.

Lord Grantchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many plastic recycling facilities there were in England in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, (5) 2020, and (6) 2021.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government has made no assessment of carbon emissions produced by the export of UK waste. The UK monitors and reports emissions from the shipping industry through the National Emissions Inventory but this information is not disaggregated to the level of individual cargo movements. Between 2017 and 2020 the Environment Agency inspected and prevented the departure of the following containers. The Environment Agency also issued the following stop notices in respect to suspected illegal waste shipments over the same period.  2017-182018-192019-20Containers inspected1,0129261,889Containers prevented from leaving404300463Stop notices issued106238444  The reasons for preventing the departure of these containers included: The proposed recovery site did not exist or was not permitted to accept waste,The proposed shipment was not in compliance with the correct procedure,Issues with waste quality, for example, the level of contamination,The required paperwork was not present, was incomplete or completed incorrectly,The waste was not permitted for export to a non-OECD country All waste exports need to be made in accordance with the relevant legislation and the UK regulators have a system of inspections in place to verify compliance. The UK regulators take a pro-active, intelligence led approach to checking compliance with the legislation on waste shipments, targeting exports which pose a high risk and intervening to stop illegal exports taking place. In addition, the regulators undertake rigorous checks to ensure businesses accredited as exporters of packaging waste under the Packaging Waste Regulations comply with their conditions of accreditation, this includes verifying evidence that exported waste is recycled. The conditions of accreditation have been tightened to require an exporter to provide the Environment Agency with full details of the final overseas reprocessing sites receiving packaging waste it exports and to provide access to export documentation to prove that the material reached or was accepted by these overseas reprocessing sites. Stop notices are issued prior to the export of waste when the Environment Agency suspect a shipment to be illegal (this could be for single containers, or multiple containers). The notice is served on those in control of the waste at the time. There are usually multiple parties involved in the waste shipment process including load sites, brokers, freight forwarders, hauliers, shipping lines etc. Liability for the illegal export of waste is potentially held throughout the waste export chain and therefore only through conducting investigations are the Environment Agency able to determine a definitive number of parties involved. Plastic recycling is carried out at many waste management sites across England and numerous sites will accept incidental amounts of plastic waste, as such it is not possible to give exact figures for the number of plastic reprocessing facilities in England. It is possible however, to give the following figures for treatment sites that accepted over 1,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year up to the year 2019. This information has been extracted from data held by the Environment Agency, using European Waste Catalogue codes denoting plastic waste. Year No of sites 201668201771201868201968

Home Office

Musicians: Visas

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byLord Frost on 24 June (HL Deb, col 389),what are their reasons for considering that the music industry's proposal for a visa waiver arrangement is not "consistent with our requirement to retain discretion over our own immigration requirements".

Lord Greenhalgh: UK citizens going to the EU for shorts stays and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens visiting the UK are already visa free. Musicians and performers can already undertake short-term touring without visas and permits in at least 17 Member States.EU visa waiver agreements are also subject to the provisions of Article 6 (3) of REGULATION (EU) 2018/1806 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL which sets out an individual Member State may still decide to require a visa for short stays for people carrying out a paid activity during their stay.The EU’s draft text for the TCA included a visa waiver agreement, which would have prohibited the parties from introducing visas on visitors from the other party unless those visitors were carrying out a paid activity (i.e. service supply or performance) during their short-stay visit. In the event they were carrying out a paid activity individual Member States could apply a visa requirement to this category of service suppliers. The ability of the UK to apply visas would have been restricted only to reciprocating by applying a visa requirement to the same category supplier for the individual member state.The EU’s proposal would also have prevented the UK from introducing or maintaining visit visas on any future EU Member State, not just on existing ones. In effect handing to the European Union the ability to make a country a non-visa national for travel to the UK without the consent or approval of the UK.The Government is now focusing on bilateral engagement with Member States to encourage them to more closely align with the UK's generous regime.

Immigration Controls: Coronavirus

Baroness McGregor-Smith: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether passport scans at UK airports will reveal the vaccinated status of UK citizens; and if so, (1) how this information has been obtained, and (2) how the permission of UK citizens has been obtained to allow this information to be shared.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Government has signalled an intention to reduce health measure requirements for inbound passengers who have received two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine.How evidence of this status is declared and shared by the individual is still being assessed.

Employment

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK nationals will have parity with non-UK nationals regarding in person right to work checks from September.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Employers are required to conduct right to work checks on all prospective employees including UK nationals. From 1 September, right to work checks will revert from the COVID-19 adjusted measures to face-to-face and physical document checks for those who cannot use the Home Office online checking service.We are currently evaluating the potential for introducing the option for employers to use specialist technology, including identity document validation technology, to support right to work checks. At the same time, we must ensure we maintain the security and integrity of our system in the long-term.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Lord Porter of Spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will meet withthe family of Collette Gallacher to discuss changing the law to ensure that those convicted of committing violent sexual offences against children before 1997 can be included on the sex offenders register.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and those who pose a risk.In addition to the notification requirements for registered sex offenders (“sex offenders’ register”), where someone poses a risk of sexual harm, the courts can impose Sexual Harm Prevention Orders on individuals convicted of certain sexual or violent offences (including murder), and Sexual Risk Orders, on any individual who poses a risk of sexual harm, even if they have never been convicted. Both orders can place a range of restrictions on individuals, and breach is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.We are strengthening these orders through the Policing and Crime Bill, including enabling the imposition of positive requirements.Although I am unable to comment on specific cases, I thank my Noble Friend for raising this case, and I will look into this matter to see what appropriate actions can be taken.

Treasury

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the Barnett consequentials in each relevant year for Northern Ireland from expenditure on (1) Levelling Up, (2) UK Shared Prosperity, and (3) Community Renewal funds.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Levelling Up the whole of the UK is a key priority for this government and the responsibility of a wide range of government departments – I understand your question to be referring to the specific Levelling Up Fund announced at Spending Review 2020. The Levelling Up Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the UK Community Renewal Fund will operate UK-wide, extending the benefits of funding for local priorities across all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland. As they are UK-wide programmes, they do not result in any Barnett consequentials for the Northern Ireland Executive or other devolved administrations.

Cash Dispensing: Older People

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensurethat vulnerable elderly individuals continue to have access to cash.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises that cash is important to the daily lives of millions of individuals and businesses across the UK, particularly to those who may be in vulnerable groups.Therefore, the Government has committed to protecting access to cash for those who need it and ensuring that the UK's cash infrastructure is sustainable for the long term.The Government made legislative changes via the Financial Services Act 2021 to support the widespread offering of cashback without a purchase, which will allow shops and other businesses to offer a new form of cash withdrawal service to local communities.On 1 July the Government published a consultation on broader legislative proposals to protect access to cash. These proposals seek to ensure that people only need to travel reasonable distances to pay in or take out cash, and that the right regulatory oversight for cash access is in place for the future. The consultation is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/access-to-cash-consultation.

UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the UK's economic performance.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) is the first free trade agreement based on zero tariffs and zero quotas and the largest bilateral trade deal in the world, by volume of goods trade. Alongside the TCA’s other provisions, this helps businesses to continue to trade smoothly.  The Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy and public finances, as this is the duty of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The latest forecasts from the OBR were published alongside the Budget on 3 March 2021,[1] and include an assessment of the impact of EU exit. [1] https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2021/

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband: Low Incomes and Social Security Benefits

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that broadband internet access is affordable for people in receipt of low incomes and benefits.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to monitor the effectiveness of social tariffs offered by broadband providers.

Baroness Barran: A range of broadband social tariff packages are now available in the market to support those on low incomes or who receive specific benefits. BT, for example, recently launched a Home Essentials package which will provide fibre and voice services to those on Universal Credit starting at £15 per month. Virgin, Hyperoptic and other providers are offering similar packages to assist households on low incomes. Between them, these products are available to 99% of households across the country. The Government continues to encourage more fixed-line providers to introduce a social tariff and we will continue to monitor the provision in the market. We will also continue to work with Ofcom, which has a statutory duty to review the affordability of telecommunication services, to do this. In December, the Government strengthened Ofcom's consumer protection rules, to ensure that consumers can access the right information to make informed decisions about new services, have stronger contract rights, and switch providers more easily. Ofcom also published its Vulnerability Guide in July 2020, setting out how the sector should support vulnerable households struggling to pay their bills.

Telecoms Diversification Task Force

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication of the Telecoms Diversification Taskforce Report on 20 April, whether the taskforce now been disbanded; and if not, whatrole and responsibilities the Taskforce now has.

Baroness Barran: The Telecoms Diversification Taskforce has completed its work and submitted its independent recommendations to the Government in April. The Taskforce will now transition to become the permanent Telecoms Supply Chain Diversification Advisory Council with Simon Blagden CBE as the new chair; as announced in the Government’s response to the recommendations published on 2 July. Many of the Taskforce members will continue to provide advice as part of the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council will play a key role in overseeing and offering scrutiny to the delivery of the 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy. We will also draw on the expertise of the Advisory Council for wider telecoms supply chain diversification issues beyond the RAN (Radio Access Network).

Channel Four Television: Privatisation

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with the board of Channel 4 about the desirability of privatisation before announcing a review into private ownership of the channel.

Baroness Barran: Government Ministers meet members of the Channel 4 board and executive team regularly to discuss a range of issues. The government intends to consult on a potential change in ownership of Channel 4 on the basis that an alternative ownership model (but one where it keeps a public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster and its ability to contribute socially, economically and culturally in the decades to come. The public consultation was published on 06 July 2021. It will run for 10 weeks, closing on 14 September 2021. The Government is seeking views from a broad range of stakeholders to inform its policy making.

Channel Four Television

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how Channel 4’s current (1) ownership model, and (2) commissioning strategy, is affecting its performance as a public service broadcaster.

Baroness Barran: Channel 4 has delivered on its remit successfully and helped grow the UK’s independent production sector. It has also done an excellent job in managing the recent uncertainty in the market. However, the government is concerned that its current public ownership model presents challenges to its ability to grasp opportunities and keep pace in the future. Further detail regarding the government’s assessment is provided in the government’s recent publication, “Consultation on a potential change of ownership of the Channel 4 Television Corporation”, copies of which have been placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Gambling Commission

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to strip the Gambling Commission of its power to impose affordability checks on vulnerable consumers.

Baroness Barran: The Gambling Commission received over 13,000 responses to its consultation and call for evidence on Remote Customer Interaction (including on issues to do with affordability) and has published an interim update on its website outlining next steps. It intends to publish a full report this summer. The government remains in close contact with the Commission as its work progresses and the Commission is sharing key evidence with the Department on affordability and other topics where it could be relevant to our Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We are considering all evidence submitted to our Review, and any proposed changes will be led by that evidence.

Gambling: Video Games

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Dr James Close and Dr Joanne Lloyd Lifting the Lid on Loot-Boxes,published by GambleAware in April; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the use of loot boxes by children does not lead to future gambling addiction.

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate loot boxes under the Gambling Act 2005, as recommended by the Select Committee on the Social and Economic Impact of the Gambling Industry.

Lord McNicol of West Kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of recovering gambling addicts relapsing as a result of loot boxes in video games.

Baroness Barran: Ensuring that video games are enjoyed safely by players, including children and vulnerable people, is a priority for the Government. That is why the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport launched a call for evidence in September 2020 to examine concerns relating to loot boxes, including evidence of potential harms.We continue to evaluate the full scope of the evidence gathered from over 30,000 responses received. Potential solutions and preferred actions, including considerations around regulatory proposals, will be set out in the Government’s response to the call for evidence. The response will be published in the coming months and we stand ready to take action should the findings from the call for evidence support taking further measures. Officials continue to monitor the emergence of new research around loot boxes, including reports published by organisations such as GambleAware as the Government response is developed.